Two Pearls
by hawkstout
Summary: Jay/Dick: Jason's finally found the one he loves, but Dick's in the clutches of his boss, Damian Wayne. Merman AU


Notes: I was craving Merman AU and I guess this is my attempt. I'm not completely happy with it, but I was encouraged by a lovely friend to post it, and it was just for fun, so here it is. Note 2: Damian's around twenty.

* * *

Damian stared at the beautiful creature banging at the glass.

"You should let him go."

Damian turned. Todd. He scowled. The street rat formally in his father's employ stepped into the aquarium. The merman froze, his blue eyes widened.

"Not until he sings for me," Damian said coldly.

Jason frowned. He approached the tank and lay his hand flat on the glass.

"You should be careful, a mer's song enchants. You'll fall in love." Jason traced the glass following the line of the merman's jaw.

The merman banged the glass again looking desperate.

Damian banged the glass back. The merman fell back and put his hand against his ears.

Jason grabbed Damian's wrist.

"Don't do that."

Damian slapped his hand away scowling.

"I'll do as I please. He's my pet. You should remember your place!"

"He's not a pet," Jason scowled. "He's sentient, intelligent."

"Irrelevant," Damian snapped. He ran his finger down the glass smirking at the merman. "I think I'll call him Nightwing, the colour of his tail and fins harken back to a starry sky."

"He's not a pet bird. He has a name!"

"Get out Todd, don't you have fish to gut?"

"I wanted to—" Jason's eyes slid from the younger man to the trapped merman. He faced the tank and gently pressed his hand on the glass. He stared into blue eyes . "I wanted to make sure," he whispered.

"What?" Damian snapped.

"Nothing." He was about to turn away when the merman pressed his hand against the glass mirroring him. There was a despairing look in his eyes.

Jason couldn't feel more guilty.

He quickly exited the room.

"-Tt-" Damian turned his attention back to the merman.

"I wonder if you can understand me," Damian murmured alone in his sanctum at last. He was a collector of sorts. Since he was a child he would collect creatures from the ocean and put them in his aquarium. His beautiful trophies.

Nightwing was… the merman paled everything in comparison to him. Midnight black and blue scales that shone when the light hit them. Black hair, bright blue eyes. Gorgeous. "Your hearing is probably acute enough, but it's doubtful you speak a human language, hm?"

The merman glared at him angrily, his fists clenched as he leaned against the glass. Damian stepped back and fell into his large overstuffed chair leaning his head on his hand. The room was surrounded in in aquarium tanks.

It felt like his entire life was spent on the endless ocean. His father owned a ship. Bruce Wayne spent his life searching for a the wreck of the ship his parents went down on. Damian was ten when he was given to his father. His mother had given him everything, but she was an important woman with no time for a small child. And, she declared, a boy should know his father. He grew up at sea and as such became enamored with the sea and what it stored.

"I knew your people were real," Damian slowly grinned. He poured himself a glass of fresh water and guzzled it down. He remembered Jason trying to amuse him with stories about mermaids. How they were beautiful and strong, how if you heard their song you would fall hopelessly in love with them forever.

"I want you to sing for me," Damian said with intensity. The merman turned his head and looked away.

Damian stood up and rapped on the glass. The merman gasped wincing and covering his ears again.

"You do understand me, don't you?" He slammed his palm against the glass.

'Stop!'

Damian stopped. A voice.

"You… you're in my head." He wasn't scared. It was even better than he thought. "You can communicate."

'Please, the sound hurts.'

"Does it?" Damian smiled slowly. "You should have spoken up sooner."

'It's… hard with you.'

"I see. Is that true? You haven't begged for me to release you. Wouldn't you do that right away since you can understand me? Hard or not?"

The merman looked more hopeless now. He floated away from the glass and let his shoulders slump, 'You won't let me go. No matter what I do."

"So you decide to be a sullen beast, -Tt- very poor behaviour for a guest of Damian Wayne."

'Damian Wayne… that's you?'

"Yes, and you're quite right. I would never let something so rare as you go."

'Rare…'

"Very, to the surface world."

The merman's eyes lowered.

"How sweet."

The merman quickly looked up again.

"You're a very pretty creature, Nightwing."

'That's not my name.' Resentment. That was alright. His pet would learn.

"You have a name? Do tell."

The merman's cheeks turned pink. So human.

'Richard Grayson,' He admitted, 'Dick.'

Damian raised his eyebrow, "How human. Do all of your people have human names?"

'Just me.'

"There's a story there…" Damian smiled, "You'll have to tell me someday." He ran his finger down the glass. "We'll know each other well. We'll be good friends."

'A friend would let me go.'

"You'll think better of it when we get to know each other."

'Please.'

"Hush."

* * *

"You seem pissed. Did the little prince get on your nerves again?" Tim was under his parasol throwing a line out into the open ocean. Anything he caught he always threw back. He was a cheerful person, but a deep thinker. Jason didn't like him that much, but he liked him better than Damian, the only other occupant on this floating hellhole.

"How could you tell?"

He walked up looking out at the open ocean. Nothing to see but miles of ocean. It made him feel small and gigantic all at once. He snagged a beer from Tim's cooler.

"Is it about the little prince's guest?"

"His prisoner."

"Yes."

"Is that all you can say!" Jason growled squeezing his can, crumpling it in his grasp. He threw it angrily into the ocean. Tim watched him passively. There was a sudden tug at his line and quickly reeled it in.

…

The goddamn can.

"Ocean pollution is what will destroy humanity. You shouldn't litter."

"You prick…"

"There's not much you can do. The prince gets what he wants or he'll leave us high and dry. I don't like it either. Not the best way to pay back a life debt."

"Shut up."

"I'm right, aren't I? It's the one you were always talking about, the one that saved you."

"I'm going to the weigh anchor. There's no reason to stay here."

"Sure," Tim sighed. "There's not much you can do about it Jason, other than try to make him comfortable. That's what I plan to do."

"The bastard doesn't let us in his aquarium unsupervised."

"Never the less, a life debt is a life debt, isn't it? And the Prince is a real piece of work. I wouldn't give that guy a goldfish, much less a creature like Dick."

Jason froze.

Dick…

"Whatever."

* * *

When Bruce took him in he was only a brat. A thirteen year old all pluck and gumption. Bruce had taken him out of the slums on dry land and he became free.

Freedom. He had never felt something so purely than he did out on the ocean, the salt wind hitting his face.

When he was sixteen the storm hit.

Bruce was steering the ship at the front. He shouted for Jason to save the cargo.

It was a huge ship. Jason ran on the deck in the pouring rain. He didn't realize until he was older how many rules broke. Having a kid like him running out into the storm, but at the time Bruce met everything… at the time Bruce was his father.

"JASON COME BACK IT'S TOO MUCH!"

He could barely hear Bruce's shout over the storm. The man had realized his mistake. Had come out, tried to save him.

But the sea was blowing and the sea was a lot like Damian Wayne. It took what he wanted.

He fell into the ocean being pulled to and fro by the stormy see. Waves crashed above his head. Pain, fear, the lack of breath.

He was going to die.

"Please! Help! Bruce, PLEASE!" He cried. Water filled his lungs and his tears were mixed with the salt of the sea.

Then cold arms wrapped around him and he was pulled up toward the surface, his head breaking the water.

He coughed violently. The sea was still stormy. He felt lips press against his ear and a whisper of sound, but he couldn't make out the words. Suddenly he was underwater again, but it was more controlled this time. He started to struggle and they surfaced again.

The one holding him inhaled air loudly in his ear.

He… he wanted him to…

He took a deep breath.

Lips pressed against his cheek and they were underwater again. The strong arms held him steady and they were propelled lower under the roaring waves. He was soon out of breath and couldn't help writhe.

Again they surfaced. He gasped for breath, another wave poured over their heads. His rescuer made the loud inhaling sound again. Jason copied and felt another kiss press against his cheek, then they went back down in the icy depths.

He closed his eyes. They were far away from the ship's lights now. It was black. He was scared.

The process repeated several more times. He fell unconscious and woke up to slapping. He gasped. He had passed out. The arms around him tightened in relief. He felt a nose bump against his wet hair. The ocean was calm now.

"Where…where are we?" Jason rasped. He felt like he wanted to throw up all the sea water he had swallowed.

One of those arms raised and pointed. He looked forward… an island.

"We're saved…" he whispered. The excitement of being alive filled him with an indescribable joy. They were alive!

He spun around in the water wrapping his arms around his saviour. "We made it!" He cried sobbing into the other person's shoulder.

The strong arms wrapped around him again and stroked his hair calmingly. The person let him hold him for a long time, he was so exhausted. He pulled back, gripping the man's shoulders.

He was…

He was beautiful. Black hair and crinkled blue eyes. He had a tired smile. He must be exhausted after carrying them both.

"You saved me," Jason smiled.

The guy, a little older than him pressed a hand against his cheek, then pointed to the island again.

"You're right, I'm tired too. You don't have to carry me anymore, I can make it the rest of the way."

The other boy nodded and they swam together toward shore.

Jason's foot touched sand and he turned back grinning. The other boy smiled back, but he didn't move forward.

"Come on, we're almost there! Can you even talk? Come on man. Are you hurt? I can help you the rest of the way if you—"

The other boy shook his head, then after a moment's hesitation he dived under the water. Then—

A tail—a tail!?

A mermaid—man. A mermaid-man?!

The boy surfaced and smiled shyly.

"You…" He frowned. The merboy frowned back, unsure.

"No, it's okay, you saved my life, it doesn't matter what you are."

He moved quickly forward and hugged the merboy again.

"I don't know if you understand me, but thank you. You're aces in my book."

The other boy silently laughed and kissed his cheek. Jason blushed remembering the other kisses the merboy had given him. The other boy gestured to the land again.

"You're right, will you… come with me?"

Hesitation and then a nod. Jason swam back and walked onto shore. His legs collapsed under him. He rubbed his eyes. God he was tired. Dick pulled himself on shore after him. He lay beside Jason his tail flipped once in the sand. It was… weird, but strangely pretty. A deep black with blue scales that shimmered in the sunlight. Dick stretched out beside him a satisfied look on his face. He reached over and took Jason's hand.

"So I guess you don't talk, huh?"

Dick squeezed his hand running his thumb over the curve of his fingers.

"Well, my name's Jason Todd. Are you getting any of this?"

The merboy shrugged and held out his free hand tilting it back and forth.

"Some of it, huh? Okay, I can work with that, beautiful."

* * *

He slept on the shore and only woke up when the tide started rushing in.

"I… you'll stay with me, right?" Jason asked the merboy. The merboy tilted his head and slowly nodded. Perhaps he was trying to compute what Jason was saying. He gestured for Jason to go toward the land then gestured back to the ocean.

"No, please don't leave me. I…"

Dick gestured to land again.

"Alright, alright, just please." He walked back towards the land. It was an island with plenty of foliage. He remembered all the training Bruce put him through. Just in case he said. Just in case. Looked like all the brain aches came in handy after all. First thing was first. He needed to find fresh water. His head was already beating with dehydration.

It didn't take him long to find the river. He dunked his head in slurping up the fresh water.

Slow down, he needed to slow down. Okay—He pulled out his head and was suddenly spashed in the face.

"You!" Jason grinned, "You found the river. Did you have trouble swimming upstream?"

The merboy tilted his head and shrugged again.

"Ah, I really need to teach you some English, Beautiful—and you know, figure out what to call you."

The other boy backstroked happily up and down the river then pulled himself up onto land. Jason waved. The merboy copied the gesture with probably no comprehension of what it meant.

"Do you have a name? I guess you wouldn't, or at least one I would understand. I don't suppose you'd mind if I give you a name, huh?"

Dick sunned himself on the land, not at all bothered.

"How about Richard. It means brave I think and you have to be the bravest guy I know swimming in that storm and rescuing me… and trusting me with… what you are. I mean, it must be a secret otherwise other humans would know about you, right?"

Dick ran his hand through his wet black hair and glanced at him with his kind eyes. He dipped his tail back into the river and sighed in satisfaction.

"Richard doesn't really suit you… er…how about Dick, it's a nickname. I know, I know, euphemisms and all that, but I think it suits you. Do you want a last name too? You seem to like the sun a lot… what about Dick Sun—uh, no that's lame. Dick Blacksun? Too sci-fi… uh… Graysun? Grayson. How's Grayson? Dick Grayson, that seem s like a good name, right?"

Dick smiled at him.

Jason huffed.

"You have no idea what I'm talking about."

* * *

It had been a week. The island was small, but there was plenty of food and of course fresh water. The company wasn't bad either. Even though Dick couldn't talk he was still a cheerful presence at Jason's side. He would swim into the river and be there when Jason woke up bringing in fish for lunch. Jason would talk to Dick, try to teach him words, sing him old rock songs. Dick seemed to like it.

He was sitting by the campfire he made near the river. Dick was leaning against him tail dipped in the water. Jason quietly sung 'Layla' humming along. Dick kissed his cheek. Jason was starting to get that that was how Dick communicated 'good.' Impulsively he caught Dick's chin and turned his face. Their lips met. It was sweet and gentle. Dick was surprised at first, but very quickly realized he liked kissing.

'Jay-son.'

Jason opened his eyes-wide pulling back, "You, you spoke!"

Dick started laughing. It was the most joyful sound Jason had ever heard. He leaned into Jason shaking with mirth.

"What?"

'Your mind tickles. It's hard to talk to humans.'

"You can understand me?!"

'Now I can, sort of.' Dick pulled back wrinkling his brow, 'Some of the meanings don't translate.'

He wasn't moving his lips.

"Wait, are you mind reading me?"

Dick looked confused, 'No… I am… I don't know what you're thinking. I can… tell you what I want to say to you. Does that make sense?'

"Magic. I gotcha. It's cool."

'That's… I guess if that's what you want to call it,' Dick shrugged. 'I couldn't connect with you before because… well, I've never talked to humans. You're so different, but when we touched mouths… I found the right frequency.'

Jason beamed and took Dick's hand. "We connected."

Dick smiled, 'Yes.'

"Want to connect some more?"

"Yes."

* * *

'It's nice with you Jason.'

Two months and he had never been happier. Dick and him talked for hours about everything and nothing. Jason told him stories about his adventures with Bruce and Dick sat completely enraptured with the very idea of the large cities of land, but Dick didn't talk about his own life.

"Why not?" Jason asked.

'My stories are boring.'

"Are you kidding? I told you about my trip to the grocery store and you nearly fell back in the water. Grocery shopping is boring. Come on, our lives are so different. I even told you about Mom and Dad, I don't even talk to Bruce about that shit."

'Your Bruce, yes.' Dick said softly, 'He must be worried for you.'

"He probably thinks I'm dead," Jason grumbled looking away, "Serves him right, it was his damn fault. He cared more about his salvage than he did about my safety. He had me running in the rain."

'But you must miss him, you must want to find him again. You love him, right?'

"Not like I love you!" Jason grabbed Dick's hand.

Dick gasped silently.

"I don't care about Bruce or my old life on the boat or in the city or grocery shopping. I don't care that I have to scrounge for food here, that it's cold and that my clothes are rapidly becoming useless. I'm here with you. That's enough, that'll be enough for me forever."

'Love…'

"Do you—I mean I… I…"

Dick leaned forward and claimed his lips, 'I love you back.'

Jason grinned nuzzling Dick's neck, "Then it's no problem."

'I… Jason.'

"It's not, right?"

'I'm in love with you, truly, but there's something I'm holding back—'

"I've noticed, your life story for one."

'And… listen it's a forever thing with my people.'

"Well it's a forever thing with me as well—"

'No, you don't understand. I want to sing to you.'

"I'd love to hear you sing."

'It's so hard to explain to you, it's not translating properly, I can tell." Dick sighed. He kissed Jason's hand. "If I sing to you, you'll be mine forever. You'll never have a thought for anyone else like you do for me.'

"I never would anyway."

'You really don't understand. With my people, when we're in love, when we have found our partner of the soul we sing to them. It… I suppose you would call it a magic spell, that's not what it is, but that will make you understand better. The magic ties us together for the rest of our lives. We would never fall for another, but you're not a mer, Jason. Although your songs have enchanted me… it's not the same song that I would weave on you and since I wouldn't fully be yours I could sing my song again to another and have them fall in love with me. It's not fair, Jay, not to you.'

"But you never would."

'Jason I—"

"You love me and I know that, if you promised me, you'd never sing for another."

'I—'

"I love you so much," Jason caressed Dick's cheek. A tear slid down his face. Jason thumbed it away, "I didn't know mers could cry."

Dick mirrored his gesture, "I didn't know humans could either."

Dick's tear hardened on the tip of his thumb.

"A pearl."

'Yours don't do that, huh? Keep it. It's a sign of trust holding on to the tear of a friend.'

"Friend—"

'Or lover.'

"So I can have a tear, but not a song, huh?"

'Not until I'm sure you're sure. Okay?'

"I'm sure."

'We have time. Don't think I don't love you, it's the opposite. You're who I love and I would hear your song in a heartbeat… but you don't have one for me. That's why I want you to be sure. You have to trust me, completely.'

* * *

He was found, of course he would be found and it was…

He stared at the signal fire.

"You'll come, right?"

Dick stared off in the distance at the big ship. 'I…I would never leave you… but exposing myself to humans—I mean other humans… it's not just my secret I would be breaking.'

"It's Bruce, he must have been looking. He's trustworthy and it's only him on that stinking boat of his. He'll love you, please Dick."

"Okay."

When Bruce rowed ashore and saw him Jason was sure he had never seen him look happier. Then he saw Dick who was sunning himself on the beach.

He stopped and stared.

"Bruce, this is Dick, Dick Grayson. He saved me from the storm."

The storm. Bruce didn't save him.

And now, even though they had finally found each other again Bruce only had eyes for Dick.

Thanks Bruce.

"A merman."

"Yeah," Jason shoved in front of Bruce blocking his love from the prying eyes.

'Jason, this is your Bruce, but you don't seem happy.'

"It's beautiful," Bruce said softly. Jason looked back at Dick. Dick blushed.

'That's what you call me Jas—"

"HE is seventeen and besides that he's—" Mine. Mine, mine, mine.

"Perfect," Bruce whispered.

* * *

It had gone so wrong. Bruce's only real love after his parents was the sea, and Dick was intrinsically part of it. Of course he would fall in love with him.

Bruce carried him on to the ship. Dick was scared. He kept reaching for Jason, but Bruce kept shrugging the boy off. He was laid out on deck. Dick looked around nervously. He was so far away from the water, completely helpless. Completely at their mercy.

The waves of the ocean roared in Jason's ears and he remembered drowning, completely helpless and so scared. He was instantly at his love's side.

'Jason this is okay, right?'

"Of course. It's okay Dick. I know it's hard. We'll make a system so that we can get you in and out of the water easier, right Bruce?"

Bruce was still staring at the merboy.

"Right?" Jason repeated.

"Of course," Bruce said.

* * *

"I don't want him in the water unless we have a hold of him."

"What?" Jason demanded, "What do you mean 'have a hold of him?'"

"He's valuable, Jason."

"Damn right he is, he's my friend—he's more than my friend."

"All the more reason. What if a sudden storm comes? He could get swept away and you might never be able to find him again."

Jason was young and trusting and stupid. The ocean rolled in his ears, but he didn't listen this time. "Okay Bruce."

In the end Bruce made a collar and Jason wondered why it had to be that. Not a wrist band or a tail band. Why did it have to be around his neck? Why did it have to be a symbol of ownership? Dick didn't understand of course, didn't know the meaning. He thought it was a strange necklace. He tilted his head with his innocent blue eyes looking up at Bruce. Bruce ran his fingers through Dick's hair and then clipped the collar around his neck.

* * *

Bruce got more possessive, more obsessed after each potential salvage.

"Getting closer," He kept saying.

Dick proved his merits right away. Whenever he was in the water Bruce would stare down in stony silence his eyes never straying from the merboy.

'He's scaring me,' Dick admitted. They were on deck. Dick smiled less than he used to. Jason held his hand stroking his fingers. Every-so-often his eyes drifted to the goddamn collar with the tracking chip. Bruce's leash.

"I wouldn't let him hurt you. He's just… obsessive. You represent a chance to fulfill his lifelong mission."

'I want to leave, but I can't leave you.' Dick admitted his eyes softening. Jason's grip on his hand tightened.

"Leave?"

'I won't,' Dick promised. 'Not unless you come with me.'

He hadn't seen Bruce. If he had only kept his mouth shut and not said anything, but he must have overheard Jason's response.

The next day he found his cabin locked.

"Bruce. BRUCE LET ME OUT!"

"I thought I could trust you Jason."

Jason started to panic. What the hell was this?

"I thought I could trust you! But I ended up on a desert island. Bruce! What is this about? What are you doing!?"

He was locked in for a week, food slipped in accompanied by a long knife so that Jason didn't try and escape.

No. He wouldn't let this happen.

The next time Bruce brought his food he used his lamp as a shield and viciously attacked Bruce. He ran onto the deck and the sight that greeted him made him sick.

Dick's hands were roped together and held high above his head tied up by the fish haul. In his mouth was a gag, perhaps to prevent him from biting at the rope with his sharp fangs.

"Dick!" He cried.

Dick's eyes few open.

'Jason! Jason, Jason, Jason! He's gone insane. He tied me up and told me you knew and you didn't want to see me anymore. That I would be his treasure now. I knew he was lying, I knew you'd never leave me.'

"I'm getting you out of here. You have to leave."

'But I can't leave you—'

"You have to…I can't survive out there and I think once you're gone… I think he'll get better if you go."

A tear slide down Dick's face and fell to the ground as a pearl.

Jason cut the binds and got rid of the gag and collar. Dick pressed their lips together.

'I love you.'

"I love you too, that's why I have to let you go. I want to hear your song, Dick."

Dick hugged him tightly then, after a moment of consideration softly started singing, but it wasn't in Jason's head. He could feel Dick's vocal chords vibrating against him.

It was… it was Dick and so stunning.

And after he heard it everything felt the same because he loved Dick, fully and completely. The song was like a wedding ring. One that Jason would keep in his heart forever. He kissed Dick again.

"I'm yours forever Dick, remember you're mine. Never sing it to anyone else. Do you promise?"

'I promise.'

"Even if it's a hot mermaid that can sing back?"

'I love you.' Dick whispered. His eyes saddened.

"Yeah," Jason whispered. He scooped Dick up holding him bridal style. He weighed a ton the tail.

"JASON! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!"

"I'll find you again, I'll search the whole ocean if I have to."

'I'll find you again.' Dick echoed.

Jason hulled him over the side of the ship and dropped him in the water.

Bruce grabbed his shoulder, but he stopped. They stared as Dick swam further and further out. Bruce slumped.

Jason left the ship as soon as it reached port. Bruce and he had been silent the whole way. Before Jason stepped off he heard it.

"I'm sorry."

"You let the ghosts of the past effect my future. He wasn't a tool or treasure, he's the one I love and I won't forgive you."

* * *

Jason sighed. Remembering the painful memories. He joined the crew again five years later. He had no licence, no resume skills or references. The only ship that would take him was Bruce's and the only way to find Dick again would be on a ship. Bruce swore he was a changed man. He had another plucky young boy at his side now, Tim. And a son apparently. It had been another five years since Bruce was lost in the sea and Damian took command.

"You can stay if you do as I tell you," Damian had told him coldly looking out at the waters that took his father.

That was fine as long as he could find Dick.

And now…

God, it was Dick, it was really Dick. His one true love was back and he was in the hands of a Wayne again. If Jason made any move to free him Damian would dump him on the next piece of dry land and Dick would be trapped forever.

He gripped his blue pearl necklace. Two twin tears. Their union and separation.

* * *

"You must be hungry."

The merman was curled at the bottom of the tank his arms wrapped around himself. He didn't say a word.

Damian moved towards the glass. Dick tensed.

'Yes, I'm hungry.'

"What do merfolk eat?" Instead of banging Damian gently touched the tank. "Fish?"

'Usually.'

"What's your favorite?"

"Favorite?"

'What do you like the eat best?' Damian smiled. He gently tapped the glass with his nail. Dick winced. "I'll get it for you."

'Shouldn't you feed me as you please? Since I'm yours?'

"Yes, you are mine. I want you happy and healthy."

Dick turned his head away, still on the tank bottom.

'I'm in a box, how can I be happy and healthy?'

"When we get to land I'll have a bigger tank constructed for you."

'A bigger box,' Dick said sadly.

"What do you want to eat?"

'Warm fish.' Dick answered.

"Do you mean cooked fish?" Damian laughed, "Merfolk cook their food?"

'You asked.'

"Very well, what type of fish?"

'Doesn't matter.'

* * *

"You hate cooked fish," Jason said bluntly. He didn't want to make the bastard anything.

"It's for my pet."

"He—"

Jason remembered their island.

Before they could talk Dick would watch him cook the fish with a fascinated look.

"I guess you don't cook your food, huh?" Dick bit into a raw fish licking his lips.

"Wow I guess you can be a bit unattractive, huh. Want to try some of mine?" Jason held out a piece of his cooked fish. Dick blinked. He reached forward. He pulled his back, surprised by the heat.

"It's good, I promise—well it would be better with some sauce, but I mean for having no spices available—"

Dick snatched the fish and quickly put it in his mouth.

Jason laughed his head off at the expressions Dick made.

"Is it good?"

Dick spat it out.

"Guess that's a no, huh?"

Jason shook the memory away. "Merfolk don't eat cooked fish."

"This one does, so get to it," Damian ordered. He paused, "You always claimed to know a mermaid."

"Merman."

"A pretty one?"

"The prettiest."

"Compared to mine?"

"He isn't 'yours.'"

"Cook the fish and bring it to the aquarium. I want you to talk to him. Maybe mine and yours know each other."

* * *

"Cooked fish." Jason walked into the aquarium. Damian sat at his chair staring at Dick who lay on the floor of his small tank. At the sound of Jason's voice he was quickly up against the glass.

"You really are hungry," Damian chuckled. "Todd is a man in my employ. He has met your people before. I thought you might be interested talking to him. Here, go to the top of the tank.

Damian climbed up a ladder to the top. There were bars at the top so that Dick couldn't escape, but enough air space that he would be able to eat the cooked fish.

Dick reached. Damian pulled back the fish.

"You're wet. Let me feed you."

Dick sighed, but obediently opened his mouth. Damian placed the fish into his mouth.

"Is it good?" Damian asked, somewhat eagerly.

'Tastes like home,' Dick said looking at Jason. Jason gasped. Damian frowned. "Did you say that to him too?"

"My name's Jason," Jason said.

'Jason, I thought I'd never see you again.'

"Nice to meet you, Dick." Jason said with a sad smile.

Damian looked between the two. "Speak to me as well." He ordered.

'Who is he, what does he want from me?'

"He's beautiful," Jason said to Damian, "But I don't understand, why do you want him to sing for you? You'll be under his spell. You'd do anything for him."

"I don't want to hear his song," Damian rolled his eyes. He smirked at Dick. "I'm going to record it, play with the frequencies and play it back to him."

"What?" Jason's eyes widened.

'Wait, can he do that? Jason!'

"I want him to be mine."

"You need to stop. You need to stop right now. He's not a toy or a pet, he's a person, he has feelings! He's—" Jason gritted his teeth. "He's mine, so back off."

'Jason!'

"Yours?"

"Mine, we're bound together."

Damian glared angrily at him.

'Please, it's true. Jason and I are song woven. He's the only one—'

"Don't lie."

'No, I'm not please—'

Damian smirked, "Jason doesn't have a song for you. He might be in love with you, but you… you're still vulnerable my darling."

"I won't—"

Damian pulled the gun and stuck it between his ribs without even looking.

'JASON!' Dick screamed.

"I've never told you how I spent my first years of life. My mother was a head of the league of assassins. Don't underestimate me."

"Damian, don't do this." Jason growled.

"The only one left on the boat is Drake and he'll be simple to take down. No one will ever know. I can kill you right now."

'Damian, please!'

Damian smiled, "I won't shoot him if you sing your song for the microphone, darling."

'But that—'

Damian shoved earplugs into his ears.

"You can sing it to Jason if you want. You love him, right? If you don't sing the one you love will die."

"If he sings he won't love me anymore you little bastard!"

'I—'

"You promised me Dick."

'But you'll die. Please!'

"I don't care, if you sing you'll be his."

'I can't let you die.'

"Don't do it, please—"

There was a loud clang and Damian fell.

"As loving and dramatic as that was, I vote no one gets mind controlled or killed."

"Tim!" Jason shouted.

'Tim?'

Tim grinned holding a shovel, "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that."

"You… you saved my life."

"Yeah, I'm good like that," Tim shrugged. He turned his eyes to Dick and smiled. "I've heard all about you. Nice to meet you."

'Very nice to meet you too, Tim.' Dick grinned.

"This'll cost you your job."

"Eh, this job is pretty dodgy anyway. Not to mention I just signed on for the Titan. I was off this ship next port anyway."

"Finally said yes to Conner Kent, huh."

"It's not the same without Bruce and Conner said he'd help look. And I figured you two might…"

"Want to find a little island somewhere," Jason smiled.

"Or sail the seas on a ship." Tim suggested, "We'll be in harbour soon. I can haul deadweight with me."

'You… you're a stranger and yet you—'

"Jason doesn't care much for other people, but when I was a kid he'd tell me stories about you, Damian too. I sort of feel sorry for him. He wanted someone to love him so badly. He became obsessed, like Bruce. That one was love starved. I'll call Colin. If there's anyone that can help him, it's him."

"Here," Tim said, "Let's get the grate off."

It had been so long since he held Dick in his arms. Pearls fell onto his shoulders. He pulled back and their lips met.

'Jason, Jason, Jason, I love you so much. I'll never leave you again. I love you.' Dick repeated over and over while they kissed. He lifted Dick out of the water. Dick wrapped his fingers in Jason's hair.

"That's my cue. You two kids keep doing what you're doing. I'll lock up the little Prince and we'll head to harbour…yeah, okay."

The song. Dick started singing. The song that was meant for him and only him.

"I love you."

* * *

Epilogue

* * *

"So this is where you call home now?"

"Yeah, well the ship is nice, but I do miss dry land and we have fond memories here." Jason smiled. "It's nice to see you again, Bruce…I … I really mean that."

"You too Jason." Bruce squeezed his shoulder.

"Do you think they'll be okay?" Tim asked looking toward the river."

Colin nodded, "Damian's okay now. He … he just needed to realize that he was loved."

"I'm sorry," Damian said his feet dipped into the river. "I… when I heard about your song and its powers I just… I couldn't stop. Apparently that runs in the family."

'You were alone. I understand, I understand more than you think Damian,' Dick reached out and took Damian's hand. Then he glanced over at their gathered friends and family. 'It's nice to see neither of us are alone anymore, little brother.'

Damian blushed.

'We're all together now and I forgive you and Jason forgives you. I received an apology from Bruce, very similar to yours. You both have been touched by the sea… and the madness it can bring you. The loneliness.'

"But that's at an end."

'Yes," Dick smiled, 'That's at an end.'


End file.
